Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi says weavers in Varanasi suffering, seeks financial package

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday alleged that weavers in the prime minister's constituency, Varanasi, are being forced to pledge their jewellery and houses to survive, and said only a concrete financial package can help them.

"UP CM at an event told the PM that lakhs of jobs are being provided in small and medium industries. But the reality is that weavers who are the pride of Varanasi, PM's parliamentary constituency, are today forced to live by pledging their jewellery and houses. All their work has come to a standstill during the lockdown," she said in a tweet in Hindi.

She said the condition of small entrepreneurs and artisans is bad. "Only a concrete financial package and not mere propaganda can help them emerge from this crisis," she said.

The Congress leader tagged a news report alleging that weavers in Varanasi are on the verge of starvation and are being forced to pledge their jewellery and houses to survive.

The Congress in-charge for Uttar Pradesh had on Tuesday targeted the chief minister on unemployment and alleged that the UP government was trying to cover up "massive unemployment" through advertisements.

She said the ground realities were far different as 1.5 lakh state residents have left for Mumbai in search of employment.

"The Uttar Pradesh government made several announcements relating to job creation at an event held recently. But the labourers on the ground have a different story to tell.

"There is no work in UP, which is why everybody has been forced to return to their previous places of work. According to data, around 1.5 lakh people from UP have already returned to Mumbai," she had said in a tweet in Hindi on Tuesday.